Holder for workpieces to be electroplated

ABSTRACT

A holder is devised for holding a workpiece to be electroplated. The holder includes a shell, a cover and a conducting element. The shell includes pins and least one holding region. The pins extend from the shell. The holding region includes upper and lower abutting elements for abutting upper and lower edges of the workpiece when the holding region receives the workpiece. The cover includes pin-receiving apertures and at least one pair of branch-receiving apertures. The pin-receiving apertures receive the pins to align the cover with the shell. The conducting element includes a stem and at least one pair of branches extending from the stem. The stem is attached to the cover. The pair of branches contacts the workpiece through the pair of branch-receiving apertures.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to electroplating and, more particularly, to a holder for workpieces to be electroplated.

2. Related Prior Art

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a conventional holder for workpieces to be electroplated. The holder includes a stem 10, a hook 11, branches 12 and clips 13. The stem 10 and the branches 12 are made of at least one conducting material. The hook 11 is attached to an upper end of the stem 10. Each branch 12 includes a root at an end and a contact tip 121 at another end. The root of each branch 12 is connected to the stem 10. Each clip 13 includes an upper pair of rods 131 and a lower pair of rods 131. The upper pair of rods 131 is used like an upper jaw while the lower pair of rods 131 is used like a lower jaw.

In operation, each clip 13 is used to clip a respective workpiece. The contact tip 121 of each branch 12 is brought into contact with the respective workpiece. Finally, the workpieces held by the holder are placed in an electroplating apparatus and electroplated. However, an operator has to clip the workpieces with the clips 13 each consisting of two pairs of rods 131 and brings the contact tips 121 of the branches 12 into contact with the workpieces. This is a troublesome practice.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a convenient and effective holder for a workpiece to be electroplated.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the holder includes a shell, a cover and a conducting element. The shell includes pins and least one holding region. The pins extend from the shell. The holding region includes upper and lower abutting elements for abutting upper and lower edges of the workpiece when the holding region receives the workpiece. The cover includes pin-receiving apertures and at least one pair of branch-receiving apertures. The pin-receiving apertures receive the pins to align the cover with the shell. The conducting element includes a stem and at least one pair of branches extending from the stem. The stem is attached to the cover. The pair of branches contacts the workpiece through the pair of branch-receiving apertures.

In another aspect, the shell includes at least one pair of lugs each formed with an aperture for receiving a latch, thus keeping the cover to the shell.

In another aspect, the shell and the cover are made of at least one isolating material.

In another aspect, each of the branches includes a contact tip for contacting the workpiece through the pair of branch-receiving apertures.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment versus the prior art referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a holder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the holder shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown a holder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The holder is used for holding workpieces 4 to be electroplated. Each workpiece 4 includes an area 41 to be electroplated. The holder includes a shell 2, a cover 3 and a conducting device.

The shell 2 is made of an isolating material and includes holding regions 21, several pairs of lugs 22 and pins 23. The holding regions 21 are in the form of cavities defined in a front side of the shell 2. The holding regions 21 are shaped in compliance with the workpieces 4. In each holding regions 21, there are provided an upper pair of abutting elements 211 and a lower pair of abutting elements 211. Each lug 22 includes an aperture 221 defined therein. In each pair, a lug 22 is attached to a side 24 of the shell 2 and the other lug 22 is attached to an opposite side 24 of the shell 2. Each pair of lugs 22 is placed at a same level so that the apertures 221 thereof share a same axis. There are provided latches 25. Each latch 25 is in the form of a rod with a diameter substantially identical to that of the apertures 221.

The cover 3 is made of an isolating material and includes several pairs of apertures 33, an upper pair of apertures 34, a lower pair of apertures 34 and openings. The pairs of apertures 33 are arranged between the upper and lower pairs of apertures 34. Each pair of apertures 33 is located corresponding to the area 41 of a respective workpiece 4. Each opening is located in the vicinity of a respective pair of apertures 33.

The conducting device includes a conducting stem 31 and pairs of conducting branches 32. The conducting stem 31 includes a hook formed at an upper end. The conducting stem 31 is attached to a front face of the cover 3.

Each conducting branch 32 includes a root formed at an end and a contact tip 321 formed at another end. The root of each conducting branch 32 is connected to the conducting stem 31. The contact tip 321 of each conducting branch 32 is inserted through a respective aperture 33.

In operation, the workpieces 4 are placed in the holding regions 21. Each workpiece 4 includes an upper edge abutted against the upper pair of abutting elements 211 of the respective holding region 21 and a lower edge abutted against the lower pair of abutting elements 211 of the respective holding region 21. Thus, the workpieces 4 are retained in the holding regions 21. The cover 3 is connected to the shell 2 so that the workpieces 4 are placed between them. The upper pair of pins 23 is inserted through the upper pair of apertures 34 and the lower pair of pins 23 is inserted through the lower pair of apertures 34 to align the shell 2 with the cover 3. The area 41 of each workpiece 4 is in contact with the contact tips 321 of a respective pair of conducting branches 32 inserted through a respective pair of apertures 33. Each workpiece 4 is accessible via a respective opening so that the area 41 thereof can be electroplated. Each latch 25 is inserted through the apertures 221 of the lugs 22 of a respective pair. Thus, the workpieces 4 are kept in position between the shell 2 and the cover 3.

Advantageously, it is easy for an operator to precisely position the workpieces 4 between the shell 2 and the cover 3 and bring the areas 41 of the workpieces 4 into contact with the contact tips 321 of the conducting branches 32. This is because the holding regions 21 are shaped in compliance with the workpieces 4 and the apertures 33 are located corresponding to the areas 41 of the workpieces 4.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims. 

1. A holder including: a shell including pins formed thereon and at least one holding region formed with upper and lower abutting elements for abutting upper and lower edges of a workpiece to be electroplated when the holding region receives the workpiece; a cover including pin-receiving apertures for receiving the pins to align the cover with the shell and at least one pair of branch-receiving apertures defined therein; and a conducting element including a stem attached to the cover and at least one pair of branches extending from the stem for contacting the workpiece through the pair of branch-receiving apertures.
 2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the shell includes at least one pair of lugs each formed with an aperture for receiving a latch, thus keeping the cover to the shell.
 3. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the shell and the cover are made of at least one isolating material.
 4. The holder according to claim 1, wherein each of the branches includes a contact tip for contacting the workpiece through the pair of branch-receiving apertures. 